Sharma takes five wickets, India on top against West Indies

(Reuters) - Ishant Sharma took five wickets, including three in seven balls, as India firmly gained the upper hand over West Indies on the second day of the first test in Antigua on Friday.

Sharma (5-42) rattled through West Indies’ middle order late in the day, turning the match perhaps decisively in favour of the visitors.

West Indies were 189-8 at stumps in their first innings, still 108 runs behind in reply to India’s 297 total.

Sharma’s first five-wicket haul in more than a year began when he caught-and-bowled obdurate opener Kraigg Brathwaite for 14.

He later dismissed Roston Chase (48) and then sent Shai Hope (24), Shimron Hetymer (35) and Kemar Roach (0) packing in a devastating seven-ball purple patch.

West Indies will be frustrated that all of their recognised batsmen got starts, but nobody managed a half century.

Earlier, India resumed on 203-6, before Sharma contributed 19 runs of a 60-run eighth wicket partnership with Ravindra Jadeja that helped the visitors to what looked like a pretty good total by the end of the day.

Jadeja was the last man out, for 58, the second-highest scorer behind number five Ajinkya Rahane’s 81.